Everything We Learned at Comic-Con 2026

If you're in California and have the chance to visit, San Diego is a great city. It's got a wonderful temperate climate and so many attractions...oh yeah, and if you pick to go in late July in any even year, you can be part of the biggest comic book convention in the world and have a ton of fun.

I've been many a year, and it is truly a blast.

Yesterday, San Diego Comic-Con wrapped after four jam-packed days of cosplay, Hall H conversations, and fandom experiences.

It attracted over 135,000 fans and generated an estimated $160 million in local economic impact. Good for you, San Diego.

In fact, it was so successful that SDCC is officially staying in San Diego through at least 2030.

Over the past few years, the Con has shifted. We've seen fewer major studios premiering news there, but the ones who have stayed, like Marvel, get a big pop for the weekend and use it to drive enthusiasm for upcoming releases.

Let's dive in.

1. Marvel Studios Reclaimed the Stage

There really were no other major studios at Comic-Con this year, so it kind of became the Marvel show. Fans embraced the man and were excited, but it kind of made me long for the years when everyone was trying to one-up each other.

What's crazy is that Marvel had not been at Comic-Con since 2024, but decided to come back with their event films and to make some major announcements.

This is everything we learned from them...

• Ryan Gosling is Johnny Blaze: Marvel officially confirmed Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a feature directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine), slated for 2028.
• A New Black Panther: David Jonsson (Industry, Alien: Romulus) will play the son of T'Challa, with Ryan Coogler returning to direct. The untitled film is set for December 15, 2028.
• Avengers: Doomsday Push: Following a record-breaking trailer drop that racked up 503 million views in its first 24 hours (Disney’s biggest ever), Marvel brought over 17 cast members onstage to build momentum ahead of its December 18 release.
• Endgame Re-Release: Marvel is re-releasing Avengers: Endgame in theaters on September 25th. It will have newly added footage that bridges the gap to the upcoming movie.
• Ryan Reynolds Deadpool: In a stunt that reminded me of Comic-Con of old, Ryan Reynolds spent a day walking around in costume. The footage was heartwarming.

2. Streamers Owned Hall H

The thing that has changed about Comic Con is probably also the thing that has changed about Hollywood. I really think studios have become separated from the fans, and should go back to see what people really want.

There were massive turnouts for thignsl ike Dungeon Crawler Carl, which is a huge book that will be a Peacock show. They were there drumming up publicity, and people were engaging.

Those numbers will be huge when it comes out because they are pounding the pavement.

Traditional stops were not there, which bumed me out, but streamers still made an appearance.

Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video stepped up to anchor the television side of the weekend and were able to engage with fans directly.

Apple TV Makes Its Hall H Debut

Apple took over Hall H for the first time in company history, previewing an aggressive sci-fi and genre lineup. It was cool to see the movie there pushing science fiction in a way that felt new and cool.

• Neuromancer: Released its first teaser and confirmed a January 22nd, 2027 premiere date.
• Mayday: Directors pitched the project as "Misery if it were a dark comedy."
• Returning Hits & New Slate: Previews for Silo Season 3, Dark Matter Season 2, and the feature film Matchbox.

Prime Video Doubles Down on Sci-Fi

Amazon was not going to be shut out and came with updates on its major franchises as well.

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 3): Teaser dropped with a November 11th, 2026 release date.
• Blade Runner 2099: First look at the series starring Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer, arriving November 25th, 2026.

3. Legacy Studios and DC Kept a Low Profile

This scuttlebutt online and from friends who were there was the absence of major studios that once dominated the halls.

• DC Studios Skipped Hall H: For the third consecutive year, DC skipped the main stage. No one is sure anyone in power will be there post-merger with Paramount, so they didn't come. James Gunn appeared only via pre-taped video, and the team behind Clayface resorted to crashing a DC Comics panel to promote their film. I a al ittlel ike, if you won't be around in six months, spend the money and go out with a bang with the fans.
• Quiet Surrounds the Rest: Sony, Netflix, and Lionsgate maintained significantly smaller presences than in past years, while Universal and A24 opted to skip the event entirely.

Summing It All Up

SDCC 2026 made one thing clear: fan appetite hasn't shrunk. The people are still turning out to celebrate pop culture, but the studios have largely abandoned what made this the place to be in the early and mid-2000s.

It'll be interesting to see if this trend stays.

Let me know what you think in the comments.